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Hollywood Yesterday

Old Hollywood: Movies, Actresses, and Actors

You are here: Home / Archives for Van Johnson

BOTD, the Legendary, Beautiful, Talented, and ICONIC Judy Garland

June 10, 2021 By Joi

In the Good Old Summertime, Van Johnson and Judy Garland

In the Good Old Summertime, Van Johnson and Judy Garland

Frances Ethel Gumm was BOTD in 1922 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. The adorable little girl would go on to become “Judy Garland,” one of the brightest and most-loved stars of all time.

While Judy’s angelic voice and charismatic stage performances are legendary, I actually think of her primarily as an actress – and an extraordinary one, at that.

While I love all of her films, my personal favorites are In the Good Old Summertime (1949), The Pirate (1948), The Wizard of Oz (1939), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), and Easter Parade (1948).

Judy Garland and Gene Kelly in The Pirate

Judy Garland and Gene Kelly in The Pirate

Judy exuded warmth, charm, humor, and EVER SO much talent in each of her roles. She also had a natural rapport and chemistry with everyone she came near. I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that everyone was sincerely thrilled to be working with her.

Judy Garland and Fred Astaire, Easter Parade Publicity Still

Fred Astaire and Judy Garland, Easter Parade

Filed Under: BOTD, Easter Parade, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Musicals, Van Johnson Tagged With: BOTD, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Van Johnson

The Bride Goes Wild with June Allyson and Van Johnson

October 26, 2019 By Joi

June Allyson

Two of my favorite Old Hollywood stars are June Allyson and Van Johnson. I was actually a huge fan of each star before I saw my first film of them together. Once I began watching the movies they made together, however, my level of obsession for each grew to new heights. There was something extraordinary about their chemistry and the way they worked together.

Do I, personally, put them on par with Hollywood’s greatest, most iconic movie couples:

  • Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne
  • Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz
  • Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart
  • Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney
  • Myrna Loy and William Powell
  • Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte, Jr.
  • Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda
  • Doris Day and Rock Hudson

Yes. Yes I do. And without hesitation. Comedic pairings are just as delicious and iconic as dramatic pairings, after all, and they were two of the best.

June Allyson and Van Johnson made five films together for MGM from 1944 to 1953 and every single one of them is excellent.

The most recent one I watched (for the first time, oddly enough, in spite of having seen all of the others multiple times) was The Bride Goes Wild (1948). This was the third film the duo made together and, IMO, one of their best. It might just be their best, in my opinion, but I’ll have to wait for the initial “wow” factor to calm down to determine for sure. You know how it is, when you first fall in love with a film, you forget nearly every one you’ve ever seen before it.

I’ll get to just how much I love this movie in a moment, but I have to just say that this is one of the most oddly-named films of all time. Sure, there is a bride and, sure, she goes wild… but not for the vast majority of the film.

It’s just not at all what the film is about! I realize a film’s title doesn’t amount to a hill of beans (weird phrase) but it was odd enough for me to mention.

The Bride Goes Wild Movie Poster

Now for the movie: It is a hilarious delight from the opening to the closing. There are more than a handful of laugh out loud moments, thanks both to a darn good script AND the wonderful comedic talents of June Allyson, Van Johnson, Hume Cronyn, Una Merkel, Jackie “Butch” Jenkins and Arlene Dahl (in a small but memorable role).

June Allyson plays Martha Terryton, an illustrator who happens to also be a school teacher. She is hired as the illustrator for children’s book author Greg Rawlings. Hume Cronyn is Greg’s much put-upon publisher, John McGrath, and Una Merkel is his wonderful secretary Miss Doberly.

Hume Cronyn and Una Merkel had a very similar quality – whenever each graced a movie, they always left you wanting MORE. They worked the same magic in The Bride Goes Wild… while I LOVED every second of Martha and Greg’s adventures, I wanted desperately to see more of John and Miss Doberly’s! They could have had a movie of their own and I’d have sat glued to every scene.

Jackie Butch Jenkins and Van Johnson in The Bride Goes Wild

One of the best things about the movie stood oh, only about “this high.” Jackie “Butch” Jenkins stars as an adorable little boy named Danny and he does an absolutely outstanding job. I would say that he is outstanding “for such a young boy,” but his performance was wonderful for any age. He conveys each and every emotion perfectly and draws you into what his character (a central one, at that) is feeling and makes what he is going through palpable.

If I’m a director, I ask for no more than that!

The Bride Goes Wild (going to take exception to this title for the rest of my life, it seems) is an absolutely delightful, fun, and hilarious film. Plenty of laugh out loud moments and just a solid good time. I hope you’ll check it out as soon as possible – and then go on to see the rest of Van Johnson and June Allyson’s movies.

They’re all so much fun!

Filed Under: Hume Cronyn, June Allyson, Una Merkel, Van Johnson Tagged With: Hume Cronyn, June Allyson, Una Merkel, Van Johnson

Welcome to Hollywood Yesterday!

Ann Sheridan, It All Came True

Ann Sheridan
My name is Joi (“Joy”) and I created Hollywood Yesterday as my personal tribute to Old Hollywood. It’s my effort to help keep the stars from Old Hollywood, Classic Television, and Old Radio Shows alive and shining forever. Old Hollywood was positively magical and I see no reason for the magic to ever die.

Be warned, I am (by nature) overtly positive, I never take anything too seriously, I say extraordinary so often you’d think I invented the word, and I overuse exclamation points to distraction. I’m perpetually over-caffeinated.. we’ll blame that.

Read more about Hollywood Yesterday (and see my personal favorites) here!

Old Hollywood Actresses

Lena Horne, Meet Me in Las Vegas

See the Old Hollywood Actresses page for the index of Classic Hollywood Actresses and Classic TV Actresses.

Old Hollywood Actors

Henry Fonda, Behind the Scenes The Grapes of Wrath

See the Old Hollywood Actors page for the index of Old Hollywood and Classic TV actors.

Old Hollywood Book Reviews

Ann Dvorak: Hollywood's Forgotten Rebel by Christina Rice

I love reading old Hollywood biographies and memoirs as much as I love watching classic movies, and that’s truly saying something!

To see my Old Hollywood book reviews, please see the index listed here: Book Reviews.

Pictures of the Day

Maureen O'Hara, The Parent Trap

Maureen O’Hara

The Old Hollywood & Classic TV Pictures of the Day are published as regularly as possible. If I miss a few days, please just know that the husband, daughters, sons-in-law, grandbabies, and/or my cats were demanding my attention. I’ll be honest, nothing comes before any of them! Not even Maureen O’Hara or Henry Fonda.

Priorities, y’all.

Movie Collections on Amazon

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Recent Posts

  • Joan Fontaine Gives One of Her Most Memorable Performances in Ivy (1947)
  • Happy Heavenly Birthday to the Extraordinary Donna Reed
  • Nat King Cole and Ruby Dee, St. Louis Blues (1958)
  • The Spider Woman (1943): Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Gale Sondergaard, and Dennis Hoey
  • Rest in Peace, Beautiful Gina Lollobrigida
  • Beautiful Rhonda Fleming in a Stunning Promotional Photo for The Golden Hawk (1952)
  • The Wonderful Paul Henreid was BOTD in 1908
  • Judy Garland Behind the Scenes of Presenting Lily Mars

Movie Night, ANY Night…

John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, and Arthur Hunnicutt in El Dorado
Have movie night ANY night with Prime Video on Amazon:  Prime Video (Amazon link)

Thank You for Visiting!

Paulette Goddard and Charlie Chaplin, Modern Times
Thank you so much for visiting Hollywood Yesterday! You truly HONOR me with your presence. ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Olivia de Havilland

Olivia de Havilland, The Adventures of Robin Hood

My main goal with Hollywood Yesterday is to keep the names, faces, and films of the stars that mean so much to me shining brightly. When I’m guilty of focusing more time on my personal favorites (such as Olivia de Havilland) than other stars, I hope you’ll forgive me. I am, by all indications, very human!

Also, please know that I try to keep my posts (except for book reviews) short and to the point, so you can enjoy the pictures, grab the information, and get back to your life. I don’t appreciate anything that’s overly wordy, so I don’t want to do that to others. For better or worse, I write as I talk, so if you ever feel like you’re reading the words of someone who’s a cross between Lucy Ricardo, Daisy Duck, and a Jerry Lewis character, that’s just because you are!

Wait. What did I just admit to?? 

Barbara Stanwyck Quotes

Another personal absolute favorite of mine is Barbara Stanwyck. Not only was she beautiful and outrageously talented, she was exceptionally bright, charismatic, and colorful. This growing collection of Barbara Stanwyck Quotes will give you an idea of just how colorful she was!

Old Hollywood Movies

Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire Top Hat Cheek to Cheek

There’s nothing quite like watching a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Whether it’s a Musical, Western, Comedy, Romance, Film Noir, or Drama – if it’s on, I’m not too far away… with popcorn and raspberry tea in hand and a couple of cats nearby.

Below are a few Old Hollywood movie reviews I’ve done on the blog. There are, as you’d imagine, a lot more to come. – Joi (“Joy”)

We’re in the Money (Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell)

The Naked Spur (James Stewart, Janet Leigh)

The Prince and the Showgirl (Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier)

The White Sister (Helen Hayes, Clark Gable)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn, Julie Newmar)

Rio Bravo (John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan)

El Dorado (John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt, Michele Carey)

Rio Grande (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara)

Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein (What is it With Me and These Movies??)

The Stooge (Jerry Lewis’ favorite Lewis and Martin Movie… for good reason.)

Critic’s Choice (Hilarious movie starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball)

To Please a Lady (Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck team up in a fast track movie)

Grand Hotel (Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore)

Hearts Divided (Marion Davies, Dick Powell)

The Quiet Man (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald)

More Old Hollywood Movie Reviews

Classic Hollywood Books & Biographies (Reviews)

Maureen O'Hara's Autobiography 'Tis Herself

‘Tis Herself by Maureen O’Hara
I Know Where I'm Going (Katharine Hepburn Biography) and Princess

I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn

 

Debbie Reynolds Unsinkable
Unsinkable: A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds

 

Ginger Rogers Autobiography - Ginger: My Story

Ginger by Ginger Rogers
Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball

Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball
Vitagraph by Andrew A. Erish
Vitagraph by Andrew A. Erish
More Old Hollywood Book Reviews!

Dorothy Dandridge

Dorothy Dandridge Carmen Jones Poster

Getting to Know the Gorgeous and Talented Dorothy Dandridge

My Lucy Obsession

Lucille Ball

Find out just how much I (truly) Love Lucy in the Lucille Ball category. I’m warning you, I call it an obsession for a very good reason…

Legalities…

Aside from pictures of books I review, I do not claim to have taken any of the pictures on this website, nor do I own the pictures – the ones of the stars or the affiliate (product) pictures.  Other, far more talented photographers than me have the credit for the beautiful photos you see. If you would like credit for a photograph or would like one removed, please e-mail me (joitsigers@gmail.com).

Movie posters and promotional photos are used in the belief that they qualify for the Fair Use law. Fair use is a doctrine in the law of the United States that permits limited use of copyrighted material without having to first acquire permission from the copyright holder. Fair use is one of the limitations to copyright intended to balance the interests of copyright holders with the public interest in the wider distribution and use of creative works by allowing as a defense to copyright infringement claims certain limited uses that might otherwise be considered infringement.

When you click through an affiliate (product, book, dvds..) link, I earn a small portion of the money you spend IF you purchase anything. This does not cost you any extra money, of course. This is how I am able to work from home and support my cats! – Joi (“Joy”)

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